- US records hottest month as relentless July heat shatters records
Source: USA Today
“Unrelenting heat waves across the United States in July helped push the nation to its warmest month, breaking a 132-year-old record, federal officials say. The 76.9-degree average was 3.3 degrees above the 20th century average, according to the July climate summary released Aug. 10 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which tracks the nation’s weather and long-term climate. That temperature was a fraction warmer than records set in July 1936 and July 2012. Though daytime temperatures were blazing hot and disrupted many of the festivities around the nation’s 250th anniversary, it was the overnight temperatures that proved most extreme, soaring above the record set in July 2022 by 0.7 degrees. The U.S. records mirror a pattern seen across many parts of the world in July.” (08/11/26)
- Four crew killed in Red Sea attack while missile strike reported in Gulf
Source: Reuters
“Four crew members were killed in an attack by Iran-backed Houthis on a small cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, Yemen’s [Saudi puppet] transport ministry said, while sources reported a missile attack on a container ship off Pakistan in a suspected U.S. strike. The fatalities aboard the Egyptian-owned Tihamah, if confirmed, would mark the first deaths in a Houthi strike on shipping since the Iran war began on February 28. The Houthis have not claimed the attack. Three Pakistanis and one Indonesian were killed, the Yemeni [Saudi puppet] ministry said, adding the crew lost control of the vessel after being attacked. Three coastguard personnel were injured after being targeted by a drone while trying to rescue the crew, Yemeni military sources said. The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on July 20 in response to what they described as a Saudi siege.” (08/11/26)
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/three-killed-attacks-ships-red-sea-gulf-sources-say-2026-08-11/
- NY: State will hide identities of jury members in Mangione trial
Source: NBC News
“Luigi Mangione appeared in a New York courtroom Tuesday where plans were nearly finalized for his state murder trial next month, including the judge’s ruling that the jury of Manhattan residents will be anonymous. Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty to several state charges in connection with the December 2024 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the New York Hilton Midtown. … Carro also said there would be expanded media and public access to the trial. After fielding complaints from Mangione’s defense team about potential space limitations, court administrators arranged for an overflow room.” [editor’s note: If the jurors’ identities aren’t known the the public, how can the public know the jury wasn’t stacked? – TLK] (08/11/26)
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luigi-mangione-returns-court-less-month-state-trial-rcna591890
- Hungary: Parliament approves Orban-critic judge as president
Source: South China Morning Post [Hong Kong]
“Hungarian lawmakers on Tuesday approved former supreme court chief Andras Baka, a critic of Viktor Orban who was fired during the ex-premier’s time in power, as the country’s next head of state. The post became vacant following the contested removal last month of the previous president, an Orban ally, as pro-EU conservative Prime Minister Peter Magyar pushes to loosen his predecessor’s lingering hold over state institutions. Parliament, where the ruling Tisza party holds a two-thirds majority, elected Baka – who served 17 years as a judge on the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) – with 140 votes in favour and six votes against. Tisza on Saturday nominated Baka, 73, for the largely ceremonial role.” (08/11/26)
- Trump Media’s Quarterly Loss Widens to $238 Million From $20 Million a Year Earlier
Source: US News & World Report
“Trump Media & Technology Group, founded by U.S. President Donald Trump and known for its Truth Social platform, reported a wider second-quarter loss, largely due to unrealized losses tied to its cryptocurrency assets. Its second-quarter net loss jumped to $238.1 million from about $20 million a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, came under pressure during the April-to-June quarter as investors shunned riskier assets amid uncertainty over U.S. interest rates, geopolitical tensions and persistent outflows from crypto investment products.” [editor’s note: The guy went bankrupt running a casino, which is the second-closest thing to a license to print money. The closest thing is a corrupt White House and he apparently can’t make even THAT work. He seems to be about as good at business, and in the same way, as he is at golf – TLK] (08/11/26)
- Syria: Assad sentenced to death in absentia at trial
Source: CBC News [Canadian state media]
“A Syrian court sentenced ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad along with his younger brother to death in absentia on Tuesday for crimes against humanity and war crimes during Syria’s 14-year conflict that left about half a million people dead. The sentences at the Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus are the first against Assad or members of his inner circle since the family’s five decades in power came to an end 20 months ago. … Also sentenced to death in the same case was Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib, who was convicted of overseeing a crackdown in the southern province of Daraa that led to the uprising and later the civil war.” (08/11/26)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/syria-assads-najib-sentences-9.7302765
- Libya: Drone strike sparks massive blaze at refinery
Source: ABC News
“Firefighters in western Libya fought Tuesday to extinguish the remnants of a massive fire caused by a drone strike on an oil facility, and a car bomb killed a senior military officer in the country’s east, in the latest attacks in the chaos-stricken North African nation. The drone hit a gasoline tank at the Zawiya oil refinery in the Mediterranean town of Zawiya on Monday, about 47 kilometers (about 30 miles) west of capital Tripoli, the state-run National Oil Corporation said. … Monday’s strikes were the latest in a series of drone attacks on oil infrastructure in Zawiya, which houses critical energy infrastructure including the country’s largest oil refinery, an export terminal and a power plant. … The attacks come as tensions are rising between the government of western Libya and a warlord who controls the city of Zawiya.” (08/11/26)
- Judge dismisses Gautam Adani criminal charges, chastises DOJ
Source: United Press International
“A federal judge has approved the Trump administration’s request to dismiss criminal charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani while chastising the Justice Department for its reasoning and methods for abandoning the high-profile case. … The Justice Department charged Gautam Adani and the seven other defendants, all current or former executives of Adani Group or its subsidiary Adani Green Energy, in November 2024, alleging various defendants participated in schemes to pay $265 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure lucrative solar energy contracts, lied to U.S. and international investors to raise billions of dollars in financing and impede the investigations of three U.S. government entities.” (08/11/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/08/11/judge-dismisses-Gautam-Adani-charges/5531786425116/
- Yemen: Houthis launch ballistic missile attacks on al-Makha and Marib
Source: Al Jazeera [Qatari state media]
“The armed forces of Yemen’s [Saudi puppet regime] have accused the Houthis of launching another round of ballistic missile attacks on the Red Sea port city of al-Makha and on residential areas in the central city of Marib. Yemeni forces did not state whether the attacks on Monday caused any casualties. The attacks came a day after Houthi missiles killed at least seven people and wounded 30 others in al-Makha, which is also known as Mocha. The strikes caused extensive damage at the city’s port area. Elsewhere in Yemen on Monday, a Houthi drone strike killed two Yemeni [puppet regime] soldiers and wounded seven others in the south-central province of Shabwa, according to local media reports.” (08/11/26)
- FL: Homeowner shoots, kills alleged intruder
Source: Fox 35 Orlando
“A man was shot and killed by a homeowner after deputies said he showed up unannounced at a Lake County home where his ex-girlfriend was visiting and tried to force his way inside. According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, a physical altercation broke out between the man and the homeowner near the entrance to the residence. ‘The male subject attempted to force his way into the residence during the altercation,’ a sheriff’s office spokesperson said. Deputies said the homeowner then pulled out a gun and fatally shot the man.” (08/10/26)
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/man-shot-killed-during-alleged-break-in-lake-county-home
- The Case for a Liberalism That Dares Again
Source: The UnPopulist
by Joshua Reed Eakle“In the contemporary imagination, liberalism means different things to different people. To some on the left, it means a set of deceptive platitudes masking an eventual, inevitable collaboration with fascists. To those on the populist right, it stands for out-of-touch technocracy, woke identity politics, and globalization hollowing out rural and industrial America. To many less ideological voters, it simply stands for the status quo and existing institutions—a status quo that many believe, or can be convinced to believe, is just not working for them. What liberalism isn’t, for the most part, is appealing. Liberalism is in peril not because of philosophical defects or better available alternatives, but because liberals have too often struggled to make liberalism seem attractive, compelling, and exciting.” (08/11/26)
https://www.theunpopulist.net/p/the-case-for-a-liberalism-that-dares
- Deep Capture
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Sofia Karstens“[Woodrow] Wilson’s central argument was that government should be split into two separate domains: politics, where elected officials set broad goals and policy direction, and administration, a technical, expert-driven sphere that should be run with ‘large powers and unhampered discretion’ and insulated from day-to-day political interference. Wilson suggested that government ought to be removed from the political process…in other words: ‘Democracy is too important to be left to voters.'” (08/11/26)
- Sullivan Revisited
Source: Law & Liberty
by Glenn Reynolds“The outcome of the famous libel case rests on fabricated legal foundations.” (08/11/26)
- The Guardian proves that renewables are not, in fact, cheaper
Source: Adam Smith Institute
by Tim Worstall“[R]enewables are not cheaper than fossil fuels. If they were then we’d not even have a climate change problem in the first place – everyone would just be naturally scrambling for the now cheaper option and the problem would go away. Which does mean that every plan, every insistence, every fine and policy imposed is proof that renewables are not cheaper. Could even still be worthwhile, but not cheaper.” (08/11/26)
https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/the-guardian-proves-that-renewables-are-not-in-fact-cheaper
- Substance Beats Labels in Fighting Marxism
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Wanjiru Njoya“In a recent controversy over ideological indoctrination at the Smithsonian museum, one member of staff mockingly said, ‘I didn’t realize all my colleagues were Marxists.’ The implication is that their critics are using the label ‘Marxist’ to denote any historical interpretations with which they disagree. The museum’s staff insist that their only goal is to offer an ‘inclusive’ portrayal of history. Similarly, many who support diversity, equity, and inclusiveness do not necessarily see themselves as neo-Marxists, even though they promote the tenets of cultural Marxism.” (08/11/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/substance-beats-labels-fighting-marxism
- Do Hegseth’s Reforms to Military Universities Go Far Enough?
Source: The American Conservative
by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos“In his crusade to exorcise ‘wokeness’ from the military and imbue it with a new spirit of lethality, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is waging battles on the nation’s storied war colleges and service academies. But is he fighting the wrong war? … While no one who spoke to us believes there is a place for intrusive diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements or social engineering at these institutions, they agreed the attention should be on the schools’ broader inability to produce exceptional leaders who win wars—rather than ambitious yes-men with soft critical thinking skills who, despite losing records, collect stars, pensions, and lucrative post-service second careers with all the entitlement of entrenched bureaucrats.” (08/11/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/do-hegseths-reforms-to-military-universities-go-far-enough/
- Action Figures and the Balance of Payments
Source: EconLog
by Art Carden“In the run-up to the 2024 election, many people claimed that, in ‘Econ 101,’ GDP goes down when imports increase because the last part of the GDP equation is Net Exports (exports – imports). This demonstrates a failure to understand precisely what GDP measures and why net exports appear at the end of the equation. Gross Domestic Product is a measure of the economy’s total value added, and measuring value added is pretty complicated in a global economy where almost everything we buy has ‘value added’ somewhere other than the United States, and many things people in foreign countries buy reflect value that was added in the United States.” (08/11/26)
https://www.econlib.org/econlog/action-figures-and-the-balance-of-payments
- Trump’s $23 billion ship will be outdated before it even hits water
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Dan Grazier“The first proposed Trump-class battleship now has a price tag: $23 billion. This cost, as assessed by the Congressional Budget Office, will garner a lot of attention. But the primary concern for policymakers and citizens alike should be the complexity of the ship’s design. The U.S. Navy has a poor shipbuilding record in the 21st century. The Zumwalt-class destroyer, the Littoral Combat Ship, and the Constellation-class frigate have been complete failures. The final verdict of the Ford-class aircraft carrier is not yet in, but when the ship’s crew can’t even rely on the sewage system to work properly, the case isn’t looking too good. It becomes clear reading through the CBO’s report that Navy officials in Washington have learned nothing over the past 25 years from their shipbuilding mistakes.” (08/11/26)
- The biggest virtue?
Source: Cobden Centre
by Tim Price“A number of highly successful fund managers and investors have emphasised patience as one of the core virtues in investing, often linking it to long-term compounding, waiting for the right opportunities, and resisting short-term market noise, the siren song of ‘news, or the urge to overtrade.” (08/11/26)
- Rehabilitating Nixon? Not So Fast!
Source: Libertarian Institute
by Charles Goyette“There is a lot of Richad Nixon rehabilitation going on these days. Before we get too far down that road, we should note that this month marks the fifty-fifth anniversary of one of the most pernicious acts of monetary destruction by modern presidents. On August 15, 1971, President Nixon announced a sweeping set of economic policies, his eerily Soviet-sounding ‘New Economic Policy.’ Today’s sympathy for the thirty-seventh president has something to do with a welcome recognition of the Deep State’s hand in his removal from office.” (08/10/26)
https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/rehabilitating-nixon-not-so-fast
- Brexit and Its Discontents
Source: Independent Institute
by Carl Schramm“To most Americans, the momentous event ten years ago when Britain voted to leave the European Union seems a lesser curiosity when compared to, say, the fall of the Berlin Wall. Few Americans understand the real struggle to compose an economic union among Europe’s many nations that had for hundreds of years shown a distinct proclivity to war with each other. Twice, America had [sic] to enter global conflicts that were triggered by Germany’s belligerence toward its immediate neighbors.” (08/10/26)
https://www.independent.org/article/2026/08/10/brexit-discontents/
- Ain’t democracy wunnerful?
Source: The Price of Liberty
by Nathan Barton“We are constantly told that democracy is the worst form of government… except for all the rest. We are constantly told that in a true democratic scheme of government, minority rights are protected against the tyranny of the majority. We are also told that representative democracy is one of the best forms of democracy because we can elect and empower men and women who can concentrate on the matters and decisions facing our polity – town, county, tribe, State, etc. – and make wise decisions. We are told that fears of corrupt elections, vote-buying, fake voters, fraud, and all the rest of the limpets on the hull of democracy can be and are controlled. Especially now that we have electronic voting and counting systems and because we have a watchful, vigilant press and courts and all the trappings that are wrapped around modern democracy. But what have we seen?” (08/10/26)
https://thepriceofliberty.org/2026/08/10/aint-democracy-wunnerful/
- The romance of fair use and fiction
Source: Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
by Ally Duong“‘Romantasy’ is a genre marriage of romance and fantasy that has been selling books like wildfire. And this year, your local bookstore’s romantasy section is likely lined with covers featuring a curly-haired brunette heroine next to a suave, silver-haired hero–all because fans who saw what an author couldn’t see decided to write stories about a couple that never came to be. … The attraction for publishers is obvious: a popular fanfic may arrive with a ready-made audience and social-media buzz. But that shift raises a serious legal question: What must an author change before an unauthorized derivative work becomes an independent — and lawfully marketable — novel?” (08/10/26)
- What Research from Boston Zoning Can Teach Chicago
Source: Cato Institute
by Jeffrey Miron“To economists, America’s housing crisis — in the form of high prices — is no surprise. For years, lawmakers have distorted the market through zoning laws that restrict new building and limit housing density. More recently, however, cities around the United States have been working to loosen restrictive zoning codes to increase housing supply. Chicago, meanwhile, has so far kicked the can down the road on zoning reform.” (08/10/26)
https://www.cato.org/commentary/what-research-boston-zoning-can-teach-chicago
- Cato Podcast, 08/11/26
Source: Cato Institute
“The Eternal Quest for More Tariffs.” (08/11/26)
https://www.cato.org/multimedia/cato-podcast/eternal-quest-more-tariffs
- Parallax Views w/ JG Michael, 08/11/26
Source: Parallax Views w/ JG Michael
“Inside Israel’s Big-Budget Campaign of Direct Foreign Influence w/ Nick Cleveland-Stout.” (08/11/26)
- Capital Record, episode 318
Source: National Review
“The Common Good, Pornography, Gambling, and You.” (08/11/26)
https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/capital-record/the-common-good-pornography-gambling-and-you/
- Show-Me Institute Podcast, 08/11/26
Source: Show-Me Institute
“The Rising Appeal of Socialism in America with Emily Ekins.” (08/11/26)
- The Good Fight, 08/11/26
Source: Yascha Mounk
“Adam Bodnar on Why Defeating Populists at the Ballot Box Isn’t Enough.” (08/11/26)
- Fountainhead Forum, episode 477
Source: Fountainhead Forum
“Hannah Henriksen on what libertarian activists can learn from sports.” (08/11/26)
- Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 08/10/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“Hegseth Pushes $1.5T Budget at Base Graham, Israel Wants Gaza ‘Destroyed for Generations,’ and More.” (08/10/26)
- Sal and Mark, episode 15
Source: Free Talk Live
“Jeffrey Tucker, one of the most well known voices in the liberty movement and founder of the Brownstone Institute, joins to talk about Anthony Fauci’s stunning testimony where he pleaded the fifth 111 times, the origins of pandemic planning going back to 2005, and Rand Paul’s explosive claim that the 2020 lockdowns were designed to halt money velocity while six trillion dollars was printed.” (08/10/26)
- The Kyle Anzalone Show, 08/10/26
Source: Libertarian Institute
“US COLLAPSE IMMINENT? The Middle East’s SHOCKING New Order!” (08/10/26)